Lock switch



Filed July 21, 1927 Patented Dec. 23, 1930 i UNITED STATES PATENT;OFFICE ALBERT/E. KOFFER, or DAYTON; OHIO, ASSIGNOR 'ro DELCO-REMYoonroRA'rIoN, or

DAYTON, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE Look SWITCH Application filedJuly 21, 1927. Serial No. 207,335.

This invention relates to electric switches having an operating membermovable into circuit closing position only by the use of a keyandmovable into circuit open position with or without the use of a keyand automatically locked in open position.

One object of the present invention is to provide a small compactstructure including an electrical switch and a lock therefor whichstructure is particularly adapted to be housed within a tubular metallicmember preferably of hard metal which encloses the switch and if desiredthe wires which lead from the switchto some piece of apparatuscontrolled byit. i

More particularly it is an objectto provide for the control of theignitioncircuit of an automobile by 'means of a small compactcylindrical structure comprising an elec- 0 tric switch and locktherefor, the structure being adapted to be located 'within a tubularmetallic housing located within convenient reachof the driven-1 Themetallic housing .may be associated with a hard metal tube 25 forenclosing the wires leading from the switch to the ignition apparatusunder the hood: of the automobile. I e

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparentfrom the fol- 30 lowing'description, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings wherein a preferred form of embodiment of thepresent invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings: Fig. 1 is a front View of a lock and switch structureembodying the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line 2+2 tain parts in position forpermitting movement of the switch controlling member to switch'closingposition.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 showing the position of the partsafter the switch is 0 in closed position.

showing the structure vvith the Fig. 7 is a view partly in section onthe line 7'? ofFig. 3. I

Fig. 8 is a view on the line 88 of Fig. 4

switch removed. r

Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 8 but showing the switch case in crosssection, the section being taken principally on the line 99 of Fig.4.

The switch andlock structure is housed by a cylindrical, tubularmetallic case which is closed at one end by anon-conducting cover 21attached to the case 20 by screws 22. Angular contact brackets 23 areattached by rivets'24 to the outside of the cover 21. Each'bracket 23supports by a rivet 25 a leaf spring conductor- 26 and each bracket isthreadedly engaged by a terminal screw 27.

The conductors 26 extend througha square hole'28 in the cover 21, andwithin the case 20 the conductors 26 are provided with contact portions29 which are biased into engagement with each other due to theresiliency of the conductors 26; The contacts 29 are maintainedseparated by a non-conducting plate 30 attached by rivets 31 to a metalbracket 32 which is attached by a screw 33 to a cylindrical switchcontrolling member 34 which islongitudinally movable within the housing20. The bracket 32 is provided with a finger 35 extending into anelongated aperture 36 provided in the side of the case 20 as shown inFig. 4. Thus the controller 34 is prevented from turning relative to thecase 20 but may be moved longitudinally thereby. f

The controller'34 is maintained in position for separating theconductors 26 as shown in Figs. 2 and 4 bya latch 40 which is pivotedupon a stud 41 attached to the case 20 and which is provided with a hookportion 42 which engages the extension 35 of the bracket 32. The latch40 is yieldingly maintained in this position by spring 43 having aportion coiled about the stud 31 and having one end 44 thereof extendinginto a notch 45 of the stud 41 and having the other end 46 thereof 'bentover the latch 40. The spring 43 is biased to move the latch 40 in aclockwise d1- rection as viewed in Figs. 4, 5 and 6. Thus back of thethe latch 42 by its engagement with the finger 35 of the bracket 32resists movement of the controller 34 to the left as viewed in Fig. 2 orto the right as viewed in Figs. 4, 5 and 6. The latch 42 maintains in astate of compression a spring having one end received by recess 51 inthe cover 21 and the other end received by cup shaped member 52 bearingagainst a key shaft 53 which is carried by the controller 34. The member52 is retained in position by attaching it to the end of the key shaft53 by screw pins 54 passing through holes of the flat end member 52 anddriven into plain holes drilled into the end of the key shaft 53.

Controller 34 and key shaft 53 constitute the usual elements of apin'tumbler lock in which the shaft 53 can be turned relative to themember 34 only by inserting the proper key 55 into a key slot providedby the shaft 53. Movement of the shaft 53 relative to the controller 34is limited by pins 56 and 57 which obstructs the movement of pin 58attached to the key shaft 53. When the shaft 53 is turned in acounter-clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 8 a pin 60 carried by itwill engage a lug 61 provided by the latch 40 and will cause the latch40 to move from the position shown in Fig. 4 to that shown in Fig. 5.After the hook 42 is free of the finger 35 of the bracket 32 the finger35 and hence the controller 34 are free to move from the position shownin Fig. 5 to the position shown in Fig. 6. The movement of these partsis produced by the spring 50 which causes the controller 34 to continueto move to the right until the finger 35 strikes the right hand edge ofthe slot 36. After this movement has taken place the non-conductingblock 30 will be retracted from the conductors 26 to allow their contactportions 29 to engage. Under these conditions the switch will be closedby the completion of the circuit between its terminal brackets 23. Thekey 55 may be removed if desired after the key shaft has been turned tokey-removal position. lVhether or not the key remains in the lock theswitch may be moved to open position and will be automatically locked inthis position by pushing the controller 34 toward the housing 20. In

either instance, the pin 60 which is mounted on the key shaft, is movedto the initial position upon turning of the key shaft to key removalposition. During this movement of the controller 34 the finger 35 willride under the latch 40 until it is located opposite the notch 40athereof, whereupon the spring 46 will be released to move the latch 40into the position shown in Fig. 4 in which the hook 42 will engage thefinger 35 so as to retain the finger 35 and the controller 34 in circuitopen position.

It will be noted that there are no parts protruding from the cylindricalexterior surface of the case 20 and the cover 21. Thus the switch andlock structure is adapted to be received by tubular housing which may beattached to the dash board 71 of an automobile. As shown in Figs. 2 and9, the case 20 is provided with a hole 74 for receiving the end of ascrew 75 threadedly received by the housing 70, for the purpose ofattaching the case 20 to the housing.

While the form of embodiment of the present invention as hereindisclosed, constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood thatother forms might be adopted, all coming within the scope of the claimswhich follow.

hat is claimed is as follows:

1. A lock switch comprising a cylindrical tubular case, a cover for oneend of the case, switch contacts within the case supported by the cover,a controller sl'idable axially within the case, said controller carryingmeans for permitting the contacts to complete an electric circuit or forcausing the circuit to be interrupted according as the controller movesto a position farthest from the end cover or nearest thereto,respectively, a spring for urging the controller away from the endcover, a latch plate provided by the case, a latch finger movablysupported within the case for engaging the latch plate for maintainingthe controller in circuit-open position, and key operated means carriedby the controller for tripping the latch.

2. A lock switch according to claim 1 in which the contacts are providedby leaf spring conductors extending through a hole in the end cover andattached to terminal angle members attached to the outside of the cover.

3. A lock switch according to claim 1 in which the contacts are providedby leaf spring conductors having mutually engaging contact portionswithin the case, and in which the controller carries a non-conductingplate for separating the contact portions of the conductors or forpermitting them to engage.

4. A lock switch according to claim 1 in which the latch plate ispivotally supported by the side wall of the case and is provided with ahook for engaging the latch finger of the controller, the latch platebeing urged by a spring toward the latch finger, and in which the latchplate is disengaged from the latch finger by a key operated shaftcarried by the controller and extending axially of the case.

5. A lock switch according to claim 1 in which the spring which urgesthe controller away from the end cover is a helical coil spring havingone end retained by a recess in the end cover and the other by arecessed member carried by the controller.

6. A lock switch according to claim 1 in which the latch finger extendsinto a slot in the side wall of the case to prevent rotation of thecontroller relative to the case.

7. A lock switch according to claim 1 in which the means carried by thecontroller for causing the electric circuit to be interrupted across thecontacts is a non-conducting plate attachedto a metal bracket attachedto the inner end of. the controller and provided with an arm extendinginto a longitudinal slot in the side wall of the case, said arm alsoproviding the latch finger engageable with the latch plate. a

8. A lock switch comprising a cylindrical, tubular case, anon-conducting cover for one end of the case and carrying terminals onthe outside thereof and spring conductors located within the case, acylindrical controller slidable within thebore of the case and carryinga bracket having a laterally extending arm projecting into alongitudinal slot in the side wall of the case, said arm providing alatch finger, said bracket carrying a non-conducting plate Which ismovable between the conductors to separate them or to permit them tocomplete an electric circuit, a latch pivoted upon the case androtatable on an axis transverse to the case and having a hook engageableWith the latch finger, a spring urging the latch toward the latchfinger, a key controlled shaft carried by the controller and carryingmeans for tripping thelatch, and a spring located between the controllerand the end cover for forcing the former away from the latter when thelatch is tripped.

In testimony whereof I hereto aflix my signature.

' ALBERT E. KOFFER.

